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Shift Light

JD-33

By JD-33,
in General Automotive Discussion

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JD-33 Community Regular

JD-33

Posted
Posted

Hi All,

Just wondering how many of yous out there have shift lights?

Im looking to get one for my 33 soon and was thinking about the Pivot SSL-M one..

Anyone owns this specific light? if so how do you rate it?

Be good to know what everyone has and what they think about it..

PS: Im looking for a really small one..

Cheers,

-JD

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lastlineofdefence Experienced

lastlineofdefence

Posted
Posted

I did use a build-your-own jaycar model. It was pretty good and cheap enough. The good thing was that it was staged with three lights and also being only leds you can change them to any colour or intensity and also mount them just about anywhere to keep them stealth.

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scathing Grand Master

scathing

Posted
Posted
you don't have eyes?

you have so much top-end torque that your tacho moves so fast you can't see it near redline?

seriously.. they're a wank unless you're a drag racer

+1

You could also add, "you don't have ears?" to that as well.

My car's got a shift light built in. I don't think I've ever actually used it.

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Craved Grand Master

Craved

Posted
Posted

they are also used on circuit racing cars too..

you dont know what he is using it for so ease up.

plus it helps some of us that do have the issue of the tacho moving to quick to read it up there.. the joys of lag then wheelspin...

Alan, you might not "use it" but i bet you notice it, just never rely on it to make a change.. the subconcious is a handy tool.

meh

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scathing Grand Master

scathing

Posted
Posted (edited)

Where its situated, you can't see it during the day because its not bright enough to show up.

At night you can make it out, out of the corner of your eye. Its possible I subconsciously use it, but I rarely ever see it so I'm not entirely sure I do.

I am tempted to install programmable shift lights in the car. The only thing I want the shift light to tell me is when to downshift when braking so I don't over-rev the engine. There have been a couple of times where I've downshifted too early on the track, and put the needle into the redline.

Edited by scathing
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kasanoff Collaborator

kasanoff

Posted
Posted

I've got a T-sport shift light:

http://www.tekniqauto.com/CDN/tsport/tsport.htm

6 LEDs that light up sequentially - but the main thing that appealed to me about it is how inconspicuous and slimline it is...not a massive cluster of lights in your face :(

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Frink Veteran

Frink

Posted
Posted

a good driver and a good owner knows exactly what RPM's his or her car is doing just from listening to it. im not that saying that you are bad drivers for using one, but seriously, unless you have a high powered race car or drag car, you really shouldn't need one. most lower catergory of race cars dont use them, as it a good way to teach the driver about their car, by using their ears and the feedback from the car rather being told when to do it by an automated sequence of light(s).

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Frink Veteran

Frink

Posted
Posted
I'm with Craved on this one, shift lights can be useful. 4000rpm and nothing but wheelspin does mean that the tacho needle moves to 8000rpm faster than anyone could see.

i understand where your coming from on this, but still, i bet the majority of 'lines out there are rev limited. and the ones that aren't (mine included...) just have to be careful and use some throttle control. i regularly put my beast on the track and even when drifting out the corners, i still manage to keep it under the redline. i'd be lieing if i said that i haven't had my car over 7,000 RPM, cause i have, but because i take excellent care of the motor, i dont worry so much when it happens....

look in the end, were all different. if you feel the need to buy a shift light, then do it. im just enjoying having a friendly discussion about a topic which has so many sides to it..... :huh:

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scathing Grand Master

scathing

Posted
Posted

Just out of curiosity, since I've never owned a car that had enough power to wheelspin indefinitely, if you're wheelspinning do you hold that gear until the rear eventually hooks up so your ground speed matches your engine speed (given the gear you're in), or do you change gear?

I mean, if you're wheelspinning then technically you're banging off the rev limiter but your actual velocity isn't equal to if you were redlining your engine with traction. This means if you shift, then you might fall out of the meat of your torque / boost curve.

In all of my (underpowered) machines, if I've ever broken traction I've just backed it off a little or held it on the limiter until the car's speed has eventually increased to a point where the tyres get traction back.

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kasanoff Collaborator

kasanoff

Posted
Posted
Just out of curiosity, since I've never owned a car that had enough power to wheelspin indefinitely, if you're wheelspinning do you hold that gear until the rear eventually hooks up so your ground speed matches your engine speed (given the gear you're in), or do you change gear?

I mean, if you're wheelspinning then technically you're banging off the rev limiter but your actual velocity isn't equal to if you were redlining your engine with traction. This means if you shift, then you might fall out of the meat of your torque / boost curve.

In all of my (underpowered) machines, if I've ever broken traction I've just backed it off a little or held it on the limiter until the car's speed has eventually increased to a point where the tyres get traction back.

I think you've answered your own question... :angry:

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